From covering high school football to the World Series, WNBA Finals and NBA playoffs, New York Daily News sports reporter Peter Sblendorio first immersed himself in the sports world in The Sidekick from 2009-11.

Joining The Sidekick in his junior year with a lifelong love of newspapers and sports, Sblendorio found a tangible path toward his dream of becoming a journalist.

“I joined The Sidekick knowing I definitely wanted to be a journalist, but it completely reinforced that,” Sblendorio said. “The Sidekick was a great outlet to pursue my passion for sports. Coppell has really great teams, and covering something so legitimate gave me valuable experience.”

Becoming the sports editor in his senior year, Sblendorio learned to stay in the moment and think on his feet. 

Through immersive experiences like covering the Coppell football team’s undefeated regular season and witnessing games come down to the final play, he gained a deeper appreciation for storytelling in sports.

“In high school, I spent a lot of Fridays going to games, even when I didn’t have to,” Sblendorio said. “More than any particular game or story, following a team over the course of a season while they were achieving something was really cool. In college, we mostly followed one team, but in high school, we were all in on the football team because they were doing so well.”

Stepping onto the field and being part of the story shaped Sblendorio’s experience, laying down the foundation for his work today. 

“I think I knew it then, but I appreciate it even more now –- how lucky I was to have The Sidekick,” Sblendorio said. “Learning in class is great, but nothing compares to actually writing stories, reporting and pitching ideas. The Sidekick felt like real-world experience because we were doing the same work as professional journalists in many ways.”

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